Bulldog Linebacker Enters NFL Draft

Published 7:00 pm, Wednesday, January 8, 2003

Linebacker Chris Clemons became the third Georgia underclassman to enter the NFL draft on Thursday, following Musa Smith and Johnathan Sullivan.

Smith and Sullivan were two of Georgia's most prominent players, but Clemons' decision caught the Bulldogs off-guard.

Clemons started 10 games at outside linebacker during the regular season, making 49 tackles.

"It's surprising," coach Mark Richt said. "I don't think it's a wise decision and I told him that. I didn't try to talk Musa or Sullivan out of it because I can see where that might be the right thing to do."

Smith and Sullivan made the All-Southeastern Conference team as the Bulldogs (13-1) won their first league championship since 1982 and finished third nationally. Both are expected to be picked within the first two rounds of the NFL draft.

Clemons, who doesn't figure to drafted nearly as high, was academically eligible to return for the spring semester, according to Richt.

"It just didn't seem to make any sense to me, academically, financially … in a lot of different areas," the coach said.

The Bulldogs already knew they would have to replace senior linebackers Boss Bailey and Tony Gilbert, the team's top two tacklers.

"We've got some guys that are going to get an opportunity now," Richt said. "Between the players we have and those who we expect to sign, there's a lot of opportunity."